CALDWELL, N.J. - Trailing by as many as 17 points in the second half, the Caldwell College women's basketball team mounted a comeback to defeat Philadelphia University, 84-73 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game Sunday afternoon in the George R. Newman Center. The victory improves the Cougars to 11-10 overall and evens their  conference record at 7-7, while the Rams fall to 10-10, 8-4 CACC.

Philadelphia took control of a close game midway through the first half with a 12-2 run capped by a conventional three-point play by Christine Wooding that made the score 29-18 with 7:13 on the clock. The lead expanded to 14 points before sophomore guard Stephanie Cadet (Elmont, NY/Elmont Memorial) hit a three-pointer before halftime to make the score 40-29 Philadelphia at the break. Kate Brennan led all scorers in the first half with 20 points, while the Cougars shot just 26.3 percent from the field.

The Rams maintained the upper hand into the second half, as Taylor Peltzer's three punctuated an 8-2 run for a 48-31 lead with 17:33 remaining. Caldwell scored the next eight points, only to have Philadelphia respond with three straight baskets to take a 54-39 advantage with 13:36 on the clock. After freshman guard Torey Jones (N. Providence, RI/LaSalle Acad.) made a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 12, the Cougars called timeout and put in their full-court press. The move produced two consecutive steals that led to three-pointers by Cadet and Jones and sparked a game-changing 19-2 run. Cadet and Jones each hit two threes and junior guard Kirsty Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Acad.) had one in the run, which saw the Rams commit four turnovers in surrendering the lead to Caldwell, 58-56 with less than 10 minutes to play.

The Rams slowed the Cougars a bit to regain the lead, 63-62 with 6:25 left. But Leedham buried another three and made a basket to put Caldwell back on top, 67-63 at the five-minute mark. With the Cougars holding a 69-67 advantage, six free throws by Leedham and two more from Jones put the game out of reach with an 8-0 run that made the score 77-67 with 1:17 left. Three-pointers by Peltzer and Taylor Magnus allowed the Rams to cut the lead to six, 79-73 with less than a minute to play. But they would get no closer, as Caldwell picks up an important CACC victory while ending Philadelphia's three-game winning streak.

The Cougars scored 20 points off 15 Philadelphia turnovers in the second half while grabbing 20 offensive rebounds compared to six for the Rams for the game. Caldwell also shot 47.1 percent from the floor after halftime and made 24-of-28 from the charity stripe overall.

Leedham struck for 28 points on three three-pointers and 9-of-10 shooting from the line. She also had six rebounds and three assists. Jones tallied 18 points, seven boards, a career-high eight assists and three steals, while Cadet, pictured, notched a season-best 11 points on 3-of-6 shooting from three-point range. Junior guard Abena George (Elmont, NY/Elmont Memorial) added five assists, five steals and six points. Brennan scored just two points after halftime to finish with 22 for Philadelphia, which received 13 points and nine rebounds from Ashley Gaskins. Nina Brascetta dished out nine assists in the loss.

Caldwell's next game is Saturday, Feb. 13, when the Cougars play at the University of the Sciences in another important CACC clash. Game time is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in Philadelphia, Pa.